The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway Blu-ray Review

Pee-wee returns!

Pee-wee's Playhouse was a staple of my youth. I watched the show pretty much anytime it was on. Repeats, new episodes – it didn't matter to me. The show was just so wacky and filled with imagination, amusing characters, camp appeal and child-like wonder. Little did I realize the show would probably help shape my tastes over the next few decades. I probably wouldn't appreciate camp cinema or the bizarre nearly as much if it weren't for good old Pee-wee.

Sadly, Paul Reuben's career stalled when he got arrested for indecent exposure in an adult cinema, and he never quite managed to reclaim the fame he once had, always a target for law enforcement (they also tried to slap child pornography charges on him a few years back, which didn't stick). Even when I was a preteen, I didn't really understand what the big deal was. I didn't fully comprehend it all, but to me an adult theater seemed the right place for indecent exposure, legal or not.

I was smart enough to know that Pee-wee Herman and Paul Reubens were two different people. Pee-wee was a character, a child-like man dedicated to bringing joy to adults and children alike. Paul Reubens was the curious fellow who played him. Like many artists, he probably struggled with demons, some darker than others. But the media loves a good story, and a children's entertainer doing the nasty in an adult theater is juicy news, even if it cost Reubens his career. I can understand the outrage from parents to some degree – who wants to describe to their kids why Pee-wee's Playhouse is no longer on the air? But it's a shame the guy was ousted and ostracized in the way he was.

Thankfully, in recent years Pee-wee Herman has made a comeback, traveling all the way to Broadway with a fresh, enticing rendition of his old cult show. The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway mostly plays as a greatest hits reel spotlighting the entertainer's unadultered desire to bring joy and smiles to his audience. The show plays like a variety hour for kids, and while children are welcome, there's something much deeper going on beneath the surface. At its core, The Pee-wee Herman Show is an attempt to remind us of the child still living within us. And Reubens does his best to bring out that inner-child during his staggering 90-minute performance which is filled with terrific puppet work, dancing, gags and more.

If you've watched Pee-wee's Playhouse, or witnessed his show in the past, this Broadway experience should play pretty well. While it can't quite compare to being there, it's a worthwhile way to reminisce, all while letting out quite a few smiles along the way. For the best experience possible, watch this one with friends, and interact with the show, just like the audience.

The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Image Entertainment and HBO. The performance is presented in AVC/1080i and mixed in Linear PCM uncompressed 2.0 Stereo. Don't let the 1080i presentation worry you; this is a stunningly sharp transfer rich with splashy visuals, sharp images and sparkling depth and textures. Flesh tones are a bit saturated, but the show's colorful lighting is likely the culprit. Motion blur is kept to a minimum and other encode troubles are nowhere in sight.

Audio, quite tragically, is enormously underwhelming. I'm not exactly sure why this one wasn't at least mixed in Dolby 5.1. With such heavy audience participation one would expect a much more lively track. Alas, the show never quite reaches its potential. The track does sound good for a stereo mix, but I can't help but dream of what it could have been.

Extras are pretty much nonexistent. There's a commentary track featuring Reubens and the cast of the show. It's a little dull in spots, but filled with memories and admiration for the hard work, talent and ingenuity of the series. Longtime fans of Pee-wee Herman should definitely check it out. Others probably needn't bother.

The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. But for cult/camp enthusiasts, fans, younger audiences, or that child tucked away in your heart, this show should bring a nice ear-to-ear smile to your face.